Lewis Hamilton fastest as F1 debuts in Baku

[whitenemesis]

Lewis sets the pace in both practice sessions

"Despite only completing eight laps of the new Baku City Circuit in Mercedes' simulator and then declining to walk the track after arriving in the Azerbaijan capital on Thursday, the world champion was quickest in both of the day's practice sessions."

Looks an interesting 'street' circuit. Just keep away from those kerbs!!

European GP P2: Lewis Hamilton fastest as F1 debuts in Baku | F1 News

 

[Deleted member 113659]

Yeah, looking forward to this one. First time I've ever seen a dual carriageway effect track.

"COME ON McHONDAS".

And Lewis.

Ant.

 

[John]

European GP P2: Lewis Hamilton fastest as F1 debuts in Baku | F1 News

Wow - the speed that car got to 213mph in the clip made it seem like about 100mph in a reasonably quick road car.

 

[bob6600]

Make that all 3 practice sessions

 

[automaniaman]

Road furniture could be an issue....

 

[Deleted member 113659]

Adore this new circuit. Great to see the old buildings compared to the all new surrounding of many modern tracks.

Could/should/will be an incident packed race tomorrow. Looking forward to it.

Ant.

 

[erisaman]

Could be the most exciting spectacle - or the biggest yawn if the Safety Car is deployed as often on Sunday as it was for the Saturday GP2 race.

Good luck to all drivers.

 

[sfc]

hope you guy's dont mind but a mate of mine is lucky enough to work for f1, he likes to send some pic's now and again just to remind me how bad my job is ,lol , he is fat bloke and sure he wont mind me posting these up

 

[sfc]

got a few more if anyones interested ?

 

[Deleted member 113659]

Thanks sfc. Perplexed by the 'fat Bloke' comment. Not sure how relevant his size is.

Anyhow. Thanks for the pics. I'd kill for a job (of any kind) in F1.

Ant.

 

[erisaman]

I'd kill for a job (of any kind) in F1.

Ant.

The nearest I've ever come to a F1 team place is to be given a Jaguar F1 yellow sweatshirt - as reserved exclusively for team members.

It came to me when Jaguar retired from F1 - but it still means a lot to me.

 

[Steveml63]

Lewis's car doesn't seem to drive so well with both front wheels facing in different directions!

 

[whitenemesis]

Not sure what's going on with Hamilton???

Mistake after mistake.....

 

[bob6600]

He had the car, as C Horner said if ever there was a track made for Mercedes it is this one. No one was even close to them.

LH definitely threw this one away

 

[sfc]

ive been trying to get some damaged carbon bodywork from him so i can repair it but he's not having any of it

 

[merc85]

Sorted Pic's sfc thanks, What a awesome Job he must have,

I have a fat mate who works at my place, But then being a Skinny rake myself we can both take a joke lol

 

[whitenemesis]

He had the car, as C Horner said if ever there was a track made for Mercedes it is this one. No one was even close to them.

LH definitely threw this one away

I'd have to agree, Lewis more or less admitted as much in post qualifying interview

 

[Deleted member 113659]

Yes, just shows you that even the best drivers have off days. Makes for a good race tomorrow IF he can keep out of trouble.

Really happy for Perez. Such a shame about his grid penalty.

Watch the lightening quick Ferrari's on the start. Hoping it'll be a belter.

Ant.

 

[erisaman]

ive been trying to get some damaged carbon bodywork from him so i can repair it but he's not having any of it

Neither are you from the sound of that.

 

[whitenemesis]

Looks as though the team (engine mode engineer/programmer) lost it for Lewis. An incorrectly configured engine mode "not behaving as expected". Impossible for him to correct..

"But from lap four, Hamilton noticed that the engine was "de-rating" - not deploying its full electrical energy. It took the team a while to work out what it was. When they had - an engine mode had been configured incorrectly and was not behaving as expected - they could not tell him how to fix it because of the restrictions on the amount of help a driver can be given by a team over the radio.

Because Hamilton had not done anything to make it happen, because he had changed nothing on the car, he did not know where to start in looking for a fix.
"

Seems ludicrous that these settings are so complex..

"In the engine switch there are six positions and in those there are about 20 positions "

Surely a much simplified 1_2_3 (akin to our Sport 1,2,3 switch ) would suffice for in-race adjustments?

Lewis Hamilton will lose title to Nico Rosberg if mistakes keep coming - BBC Sport